Ghosh 1

Implementation of Societal Norms and Cultural Values through Folklores such as

Panchatantra and Aeshop Fables

Dissertation submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

the Degree of Master of Arts in English

Debojyoti Ghosh

Roll-ME200045

4th Semester Jan-June 2022

Project Paper Core 18

Under the supervision of

Prof. Tamalika Das

Department of English,

Rishi Bankim Chandra College, Naihati

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Declaration

This is to certify that Debojyoti Ghosh, student of Master in English, have carried out this

Dissertation Project titled "Imlementation of societal norms and cultural values through folklores

such as Panchatantra and Aeshop fables” under the supervision and guidance of Prof. Tamalika

Das, Department of English, Rishi Bankim Chandra College Naihati. The work submitted is

original to the best of our knowledge and has not been carried out elsewhere in any other

University or Institute.

(Signature of Student)

Department of English

Rishi Bankim Chandra College,

Naihati – 743165, India

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Supervisor's Certificate

This is to certify that Debojyoti Ghosh, student of Master in English, has carried out this

Dissertation Project titled " Imlementation of societal norms and cultural values through

folklores such as Panchatantra and Aeshop fables ” under the supervision and guidance of Prof.

Tamalika Das in the Department of English, Rishi Bankim Chandra College Naihati. The work

submitted is original to the best of our knowledge and has not been carried out elsewhere in any

other University or Institute.

(Signature Of Supervisor)

Shubh Brat Sarkar

Department of

English

Rishi Bankim Chandra College,

Naihati – 743165, India

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to extend my humble gratitude towards everyone concerned with my paperwork for

their valuable insights and contribution. I would first like to thank my paper supervisor Prof.

Tamalika Das, Professor of English, Rishi Bankim Chandra College, Naihati. His doors were

always open whenever I needed any help regarding my research paper. He consistently allowed

this paper to be my work and helped me to learn new things, and guided me in the right direction

whenever I needed it.

I would also like to thank our Principal for encouraging such project works in the P.G.

department.

Finally, I want to thank my family and my classmates who kept motivating me with their

positive energy and their support that led me towards completing this work.
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CONTENTS

Chapters Contents Page No.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

Chapter 4: Discussion

Chapter 5: Conclusion

Works Cited
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Chapter 1: Introduction

Human beings have always shared a good relationship with literature and literary works which

itself remains vast, and amazing. Children’s literature is one such field which actually can be

defined as a piece of work exclusively for the young generation, adults and children’s mostly. It

deals with informations and entertaining materials majority of which makes the whole as non

fiction, literary and artistic genres in physical and digital formats.

The most probable emergence of Children’s literature arises significantly in the second half of the

18th century. Considering that this area was at its best in it’s embryonic stage. Recognition of such

a fascinating area took its deliverance towards the 20th century, making it a mainstream,

recognizable branch of Literary works.

In the term children’s literature, the more important word is literature. For the most part, the

adjective imaginative is to be felt as preceding it. It comprises that vast, expanding territory

recognizably staked out for a junior audience, which does not mean that it is not also intended for

seniors. Adults admittedly make up part of its population: children’s books are written, selected for

publication, sold, bought, reviewed, and often read aloud by grown-ups. Sometimes they seem also

to be written with adults in mind, as for example the popular French Astérix series of comics

parodying history. Although under such a field Folklores and Fables which are considerably one of

the important genre’s of Children’s Literature responsible in shaping a child’s initial learning days,

making him well aware of the culture he’s going to be a part of, the tradition that followed his

ancestry, the societal values that surrounds his environment and the moral values that he needs to

learn. There are many such tales from various part of the world which are ancient classics and

which are widely used and known by any human being, making him remember his childhood

nostalgia as at that point of time, he was made to understand the difference between good and bad,

he was given a moral note, a lesson with a taste of entertainment.

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Panchatantra written by Pandit Vishnu Sharma in and around 200 BC is one such collection of

fables considered sacred and useful for every individual of India. On the other hand Aeshopica or

Aeshop Fables said to be written by Aeshop himself who was a slave and a story teller, probably

living around 620 and 564 BCE in ancient Greece is another collection of fables which has kept

generations compact and learned since their childhood. The stories also provided an opportunity for

a measure of self-reflection. At those moments when Greeks suspected their culture or civilization

was not living up to expectations, the fables provided an opportunity for a degree of self-reflection.

Although humans and animals share similar traits, humans are different due to their power of

reason which allows humans to make different choices about life and living.

My paper mainly focuses on the how these two texts serve in representing their culture and how

both of them help educate the younger minds of a society, making them knowledgeable about their

traditional values, and mostly important, making them know “what to do, and what not to” with a

moral lesson. Thus my paper will deal and uphold how these texts are being used over centuries in

shaping the infants mind.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

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A literature review is mainly an overview of the previously published works on a specific topic.

This literature review surveys articles, books and other sources related to a specific area of

research. This review should enumerate, describe, summarize, objectively evaluate and clarify

about the previous research. It should provide a theoretical base for the study and assist in

determining the scope of the study. Literature review helps to acknowledge the work of earlier

researchers, assuring the readers that the work is well-thought. By acknowledging a previous work,

it is believed that the author has read, evaluated, and also assimilated that work in order to do the

current work. This section includes the gist of journals and articles by scholars, books, and other

sources relevant to the topic of the particular paper.

Very few scholars have specifically worked upon this piece of literature amongst which some

comparative analysis and study of Dr Nidhi Rastogi and Nandana NG caught my attention,

although both of them are vast and focus mainly on the background, history, origin and not on what

or how the tales are being employed in shaping the minds of the children’s. Thus I will provide a

picture on how these stories serve to deliver their moral value and cultural history.
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Chapter 3: Research Methodology

To write this paper, I will be using the Descriptive method in order to explain quest for female

self identity. This novel describes discrimination in various fields whether in educational

institutes, job sectors, courts, school or colleges. Descriptive method is a type of research mainly

focuses on answering the questions of “what” rather than the “why” of the research topic. This

method usually answer to what, where, when and how type of questions. Before doing research

on a particular topic we should know how this happens, when and where occurred . There will be

a proper descriptive analysis research approach in order to define a topic by analyzing it any

further. To write this paper, I will first throw light upon on the philosophy of Panchatantra and

Aeshop Fables and then will discuss the points of my dissertation title. Thus as the title of the

paper suggests, this paper will try to make the idea about how two notable literary work are

employed to shape the infants mind.

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Chapter 4: Discussion

4.1 : The origin of Panchatantra and Aeshop Fables

Origin of Panchatantra has been attributed to a city in southern India named

Mahilaropya. The king in the city was Amarshakti. He in order to develop interest

In his sons in knowledge and develop their minds gave Vishnu Sharma the

Responsibility. Vishnu Sharma took his three sons home. He had developed his

Lessons in interesting stories that were woven beautifully around animal

Characters.

The origin of Panchatantra as have been earlier said has been divided into four

Versions. Pahlavi is the first version of the Panchatantra that was created before

A.D. 570. Though it is lost now it can be recreated from an Old Syrian and an

Arabic version with the later texts based on the Arabic version. The second is the

Version produced in north-west India, which was interused in the version of

Gunadhya’s Brhatkallui. The third is the two Kashmir versions styled Tantra

Khyayika and by two Jain texts. Fourth is the common ancestor of the Southern

Panchatantra, the Nepalese Panchatantra and the Hitopadesha. The Nepalese

Panchatantra and the Southern Panchatantra are derived from a version sister to

The Southern Panchatantra now lost.

Hertel concluded that these four sources ought to be reduced to two, the

Tantrakhyayika original and ‘ K’, the source of the other three groups. This is

Unlikely. There is no adequate ground for Hertel’s further assumption of another

Transitional archetype from which the Pahlavi, the Southern Panchatantra group

Are descended.

The sense of the term Is uncertain. It is uncertain as to what the word Tantra

Mean. However it is likely that Panchatantra meant originally five subject-matters.

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It is a thesis dealing with five contents. It has been considered that it was written

Long after 200 B. C. It is sure that it has definitely been written after the Christian

Era though it is not correct to assign it to the second century A. D. Evidences

Suggest that it fell in the period of the Brahmanical restoration and expansion

Under the Gupta Empire.

It has also been considered that the author was a Brahmin. Vishnusharma is

Described as relating the tales to the sons of king Amarashakti of Mahilaropya in

The Deccan as a sign of southern origin. According to Hertel this book was

Composed in Kashmiri. The places of pilgrimage mentioned are Pushkar,

Gangadvara, Prayaga and Varanasi.

On the other hand traces of Aeshop leads to where the birth of Aesop takes place,

Who was an ancient and Black storyteller, is celebrated on this day c 620 BC. He is

Known for his stories, which are called “Aesop’s Fables,” which have become a

Blanket term for collections of brief fables, usually involving anthropomorphic

Animals. Aesop was a Black slave of Iadmon, located in the south of Greece near

Northern Africa. Most accounts describe Aesop as a deformed man whose name

Came from the Greek word Aethiops which means Ethiopia.

According to Herodotus, he lived in Samos in the 6th century BC and eventually

Was freed by his master in Iadmon. Other accounts connect him with many wild

Adventures and attach him with such rulers as Solon and Croesus.

The first extensive translation of Aesop into Latin was done by Phaedrus, a

Freedman of Augustus in the first century AD. The first printed version of Aesop’s

Fables in English was published on March 26, 1484, by William Caxton. William

Dugard translated his stories from the Greek text of Planudes in 1715. There he

Also describes Aesop as one whom “Nature had gratified with an Ingenious mind,

But the Law had enslaved.”

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His fables are some of the most well-known in the world and remain a choice for

Moral education of 21st

-century children. Many stories included in Aesop’s Fables,

Such as “The Fox and the Grapes” (from which the idiom “sour grapes” was

Derived), “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The North Wind and the Sun,” and “The

Boy Who Cried Wolf,” are well-known throughout the world. A few famous

Quotations by Aesop are; “After all is said and done, more is said than done.” “Any

Excuse will serve a tyrant.” “United we stand, divided we fall.” “Be content with your lot; one
cannot be first in everything.”
We have evidence of fables in the wisdom books of Eastern civilizations as early

As 1800 BCE among the Babylonians, Assyrians, Sumerians, Akkadians and Egyptians.

Even in the Mesopotamian period, fables were part of the tradition of wisdom literature

That contained an undifferentiated assortment of animal fables, proverbs and parables. Aesop and
his brand of critical and popular wisdom is a major influence

On the Socratic tradition and its use of prose.

Aesop was connected with philosophy and

Philosophical figures, but also with satire and comedy, all of which may have influenced

The later representations of the fabulist, while it is less likely that Aesop directly

Influenced the depiction of Socrates. Aesop was associated with the philosopher Socrates,

And their lives share some interesting parallels often found in the lives and deaths of

Religious or philosophical teachers.

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4.2 The structure of Panchatantra and its motive

In India, since the Vedic age there has been

a tradition of oral education. Oral education means transferring the
knowledge from one person to other through narration. Most of the ancient
Indian scriptures were preserved like this, generations after generations.
It has been always a powerful tool to preserve the knowledge if we
consider the attacker’s history of India. Most of the ancient literature was
written in sutras. Sūtra (Sanskrit: sutra, “a rope or thread that holds things
together”) metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or
a large collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual – is a distinct
type of literary composition, based on short aphoristic statements, generally
using various technical terms. The literary form of the sutra was designed for
concision, as the texts were intended to be memorized by students in some of
the formal methods of self-study (scriptural and scientific study). Since each
line is highly condensed, another literary form arose in which commentaries
on the sūtras were added, to clarify and explain them.
First strategy is Mitrabheda, that is, separation of friends. It is a story of a

Lion king and a bull. It tells us how they become friends with each other

And later how they are separated by a jackal. There are two jackals in this

Story, Damanaka and Karataka as the ministers of Lion King. The basic

Underlined principle in this story is how the ministers play an important

Role in deciding what is good for their king at a certain point of time. They

Can bring somebody to the king for friendship, if they find it hard to fight

With that person as his strengths and weaknesses are unknown. When they

Understand that friendship with this person is not so useful for the King and

For the kingdom, they can bow the seeds of misunderstanding between the

King and his friend to separate them skillfully.

The second strategy is Mitralabha. This strategy is narrated to tell the

Importance of gaining good friends. It underlines the principle that one, who

Has good friends will never taste defeat in one’s life in any kind of situation.

This is a story of four friends; a crow, a rat, a deer and a turtle, and how they

Help each other in the time of calamity.

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The third strategy is Kokolukiya (Of crows and owls). The main story

Is about the enmity of crows and owls. It tells about how to deal with the

Enemies with tact and wisdom. It also strengthens the moral that never believe a person who is your enemy
and never believe a friend who was your

Enemy at some point of time.

The fourth strategy is Labdhapranash means loss of gains. It says that one

Can lose the things which are earned earlier because of one’s foolishness. The

Main story starts with an incident between a monkey and a crocodile.

The fifth strategy is Aparikshitkarakaram means ill-considered actions

Or hasty deeds. The stories starts with a moral that one should never do

Anything before examining it properly, otherwise this ill-considered action

Will lead to permanent loss. The basic story is of a merchant and a fool guest

At his house and how the hasty deeds of the guest later on leads to death of

Some monks.

After narrating the stories based on the above mentioned strategies,

Vishnusharma brought the princes back to the King as well learned men.

Since then Panchatantra has played a pivotal role in the life of Indian

Children. Panchatantra still has the same educational importance in

Childhood education and narrated as bedtime stories in many Indian

Families within and outside India. As per the time change, the stories are

Also converted into animation form and attracting viewers even outside

India. What are the reasons of its immense popularity? What is so unique

About Panchatantra? What we can learn from Panchatantra to improve

Current education and to overcome the problem of boredom in schools?

The interesting element of storytelling was used in Panchatantra to educate

The students as story telling is nothing but participation, participation by

The narrator and participation by the listener. It has also been part of formal
Education for many years. In the nineteenth century, student teachers were

Trained to tell stories (Fox & Jennifer 2005).

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Storytelling is not only important for literacy but can be applicable in

Other curriculum areas. Storytelling is enjoyable, creative, responsive, active,

Inclusive and flexible. Stories being enjoyable is an important factor in

Imparting happiness in students. Martin Seligman (2003), a psychologist

Has shown through his study, that positive enjoyment improves learning. It

Also teaches the children to be creative by creating their own stories.

To teach his students in a short period of time, Vishnusharma creatively

Used the stories of different animals and human beings. As his students

Were not so eager to study through the routine method he found an exciting

And entertaining method, that is, teaching through narration or with the

Help of stories. Interestingly, the characters in the fables are often animals,

Perhaps because children find animals interesting, and have a strange way of

Connecting with them. Panchatantra is not just a compilation of tales with

Morals. It is a collection of stories within a story, a manner of story-telling

That engages a reader very effectively. The end result is the communication of

Morals and deep philosophy without preaching (Meler 2011).

With the help of the characters of the story he tried to explain simple

But useful and important concepts. As people remember stories that are well

Told and are centered on ideas the listeners either know well or want to know

Well (Schank & Berman 2006).

The unique feature of Panchatantra is the structure of frame story. This

Structure keeps the reader or the listener involved in the story. Draper (2006)

Says that “stories use words to create imaginings in hearers. That could be a

Description of education”.

For learning anything new one needs concentration. Concentration is

An active involvement in a task with undivided attention. As Vishnusharma

Also wanted them to learn, remember and use their knowledge afterwards,

He explained the principles of political science and practical wisdom with

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The examples illustrated in the form of stories. In support of using narratives

For teaching, Williams (2000) says that narrative text (fiction) is easier to

Comprehend and remember than expository text (factual and informational

Material).

In modern education, narration is already in use but to limited extent.

For example Finnish education system is so much information based that

There is no room for educational storytelling. We have to think outside limits. Narration need not be always
related to morals but it can be related

To a story of invention in science. In Panchatantra, the stories are in the form of dialogues making them

Very interesting as the characters are arguing about something. Gillon (2011)

Says that the natural human tendency is to listen to logical arguments. In India, there has been an old
tradition of logical arguments in the form

Of public debate. Though the origins in India of public debate (pariṣad),

One form of rational inquiry, are not definitely known, we are aware that

Public debates were common in pre-classical India (Gillon 2011). With this

Information we understand the structure of the Panchatantra, it was one

Of the earlier books which generate and popularize the structure of frame

Story and linking them with each other with the help of arguments. The

Motive behind using this structure could be that Vishnusharma wanted

His students to learn the logical and analytical thinking. For debate, it is

Necessary to develop the ability to think rationally and pose questions if you

Find the other person is speaking irrationally. Other perspective is about the development of moral and
social identity.

‘Story’ is the most important piece of narration to induce moral values in

The students at an early age. Through the stories the personal and social

Responsibility can be imparted into the students. They can understand the

Society and their role in the society. So in all it can be said that this method

Can really prove helpful if used widely.

4.3 The structure of Aeshop Fables and its motive

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In many Aesop’s Fables, the lesson is not that the “bad character” is punished and the “good character” is
rewarded. Rather, they are cautionary tales in which (typically) an animal symbolizing a human character
flaw (greed, arrogance, stupidity, timidity, naïveté, carelessness) is deceived by another character,
inadvertently helping the deceiving character to fulfill his/her intention. In many cases the “good character”
can be weak and the “bad character” strong. This kind of characterization sends the message that power and
evil can win out over innocence and good will unless thoughtful action is taken (Clayton, 2008).
Alternatively, fables may exploit a situation in which a good character attribute is revealed (kindness,
empathy, intelligence), resulting in an unexpected positive outcome. An essential component of
comprehending the meaning of fables is knowing the relationship of who is tricking or surprising whom,
and for what purpose. To that end, children’s understanding of mental states may be needed for competence
in narrative structure particularly when it involves deception (Sodian et al., 1991; Gamannossi and Pinto,
2014), as is common in Aesop’s fables. Second order theory of mind, in particular, has been linked to
understanding of deception (Wimmer and Perner, 1983) because it involves beliefs about another’s beliefs
or intentions.
Interestingly, Aesop’s fables feature animals as protagonists rather than humans. In some contexts, the use
of non-humans is meant to illuminate the human experience through “humans in disguise” (Sutton-Spence
and Napoli, 2010, p. 442) in a metaphoric way. This kind of anthropomorphism is ubiquitous across cultures
(Tehrani, 2013) and is considered acceptable for evoking emotion and appealing to broad audiences (Sutton-
Spence and Napoli, 2010). However, behavioral scientists point out some potential drawbacks of
anthropomorphism when it concerns teaching children scientific understanding of the natural world (Ganea
et al., 2014). Yet Shettleworth (2012), using training tasks inspired by Aesop’s fables (for example, the
thirsty stork using stones to raise the water level in a pitcher), along with neuroscientific imaging, maintains
that animals can indeed show insight. Clayton (2008) argues that anthropomorphism illustrates that
hierarchies in the animal world are analogous to human hierarchies in the context of everyday life. There
must be similarities between animal and human behavior, otherwise “the animal fable would not exist”
(Clayton, 2008, p. 183). Although animals can get themselves into similar situations as humans, all would
agree that animals can not use reason to solve a problem. Thus the anthropomorphized life lesson is useful
in showing human audiences that they have the advantage of mentalistic reasoning to help them avoid or
escape the unfortunate situation. In the Aesop’s Fables the tenor is generally formal because there are very
little

Dialogues and the narrative is in the third person. All the stories begin with the traditional

Formulaic utterances, ―once upon a time…‖ line which gives it a feeling of belonging to the past

And hence creates a greater impact as people often feel that what has already happened in the

Distant past is far more significant rather than the things that happen in the immediate present.

Due to this the power of the story to grasp the attention of the adult readers increases. Small

Children or young readers are not concerned with any of this because all they are interested in is a

Good story.
In the Aesop’s Fables there are dialogues between certain characters in stories that are

Otherwise only long narratives by the narrator. For example, in a story titled ‗The Lion and the

Mouse‘ there is a series of a few dialogues between the mighty lion and the little mouse which is

As follows,

―Oh, your Majesty! Your Majesty!‖ squeaked the mouse, ―please me! I had no idea

You were a lion. I thought you were a haystack! And I wanted some nice hay to line
 Ghosh 18

My new nest with. But, if you will forgive me and let me go, I will repay you some

Day. One good turn deserves another!‖

As compared to the Aesop’s Fables, the frequency of dialogues is much higher in the

Panchatantra. Yet, major part of the narrative is formally narrated. The stories are addressed to mankind in
general. The reason

Is that their main objective is to impart wisdom. So they also cannot be narrated in the mind of a

Character. Therefore, no interior monologues are present in any story of either of the collections.

However, some shrewd and cunning characters speak to themselves as they cannot express their

Thoughts outwardly. So, in a very few instances interior monologues do occur. By focusing mostly on
animals as protagonists of the fables, Aesop managed to partially hide the human element, but still portray
wholly human themes – creating an entertaining combination that the common populace of the past
appreciated. And with this crafty combination, he created a legacy whose importance is unmatched – he
gave world lessons that would influence society on a whole new level.
The fables were made from the same fabric as daily life, exploring themes such as ambition, greed, humility,
strength, weakness, deceit, honesty, love, hate, and poverty. By simplifying these crucial and large themes,
the populace of the Classical Times was introduced to a higher step in the ladder of a civilized world.

But some themes of Aesop’s fables also give us an insight into the life of common peoples in Classical
Greece. Fables such as The Thief and His Mother, The Miser and His Gold, Hercules and the Wagoner, The
Satyr and the Traveller, Horkos, the God of Oaths – and many others – reflect in some sense, the social
norms of that time, with obvious emphasis on morality. Honesty, humility, and wit were held in high regard
by the Greeks and these fables confirm it.
Even from the earliest times, from the very beginnings of society, we can see that the written word, as well
as the oral traditions – played a significant role in every nation. You know that a story or a fable carries so
much influence when it is repeatedly shared through generations – father to son – for centuries. And when
every child and every elder alike are able to draw a life-changing moral lesson out of it, you can be sure that
such significance is timeless.
The fable preaches unity and

Support for others. The stories in this fable provide an excellent way to teach kids about the

Consequences of good and bad behaviour, the importance of team-work, and the recompenses of

The unity of purpose. The resolution and quickness in attending to other plights are also displayed.

This fable is a kind of means of appreciating other people’s concerns and desires dedicating our

Time to support whosoever the world over. This gesture will bring about respect for our diverse

Races, cultures, and religious beliefs.

The importance of togetherness and spirit of assisting others is explored in the fable. The

Fight of lizards costs extermination of many other higher placed animals as shown in the fable.

What could be regarded as their own business, results to be a bad premonition to many others? The

Self-centered attitudes and the impression of not ready to intervene in another person’s problem

And or to find solutions result in many current problems in our societies. Looking at the present
 Ghosh 19

Age, everyone is self-centered with little or no time for any other person. The case of family,

Nuclear one in the present days is quite different from the olden ages of extended family, any

Problem that emanates is collectively solved by the extended family, whereas the nuclear family

Is only concerned with his little difficult and solutions are limited to such members constituting

The family. Isolated life is not reckoned with in the pre-colonial days, before the introduction of

Western cultures. A whole village may be concerned about the welfare of one another. Nowadays,

Hardly could neighbours intervene in the affairs of his immediate community partner. This idea is

Connected with the training of their children. Historically, moral is to be a collective thing and

Collectively impacted on every child of the community, but in this present era, it is no more so.

Many parents do not allow their children to be corrected by another person, the beginning of crises.

In the efforts of instilling morals in the young ones the societal ethos is also orated and preserved.
The high profile of Aesop’s Fables has also been supported by their relation-

Ship with Christianity. These morality tales were widely approved as constitu-

Ents of the mediaeval and Renaissance syllabus partly because they were felt to

Be compatible, like the stoicism of Cato, with Christian ethics

The extent of the cultural penetration of Aesop’s Fables, related as we have

Seen to their perceived suitability as vehicles for the transmission of literacy,

Foreign-language skills, and morals compatible with Christianity, remains un-

Paralleled. It in turn has underlain, or at least been a factor, in the character

Of countless new classics of children’s literature, and this is my fourth point.

Aesop’s Fables have, since the mediaeval period, appeared alongside or even

Merged completely with fables from non-classical traditions: the outstand-

Ing example is the fables of Reynard the fox-trickster derived in turn from the

Twelfth-century Le Roman de Renart.

Conclusion

Thus we can see that though both the writers belong to different cultures and

Different life styles they had many similarities as well as dis similarities. Both the fable

Writers contributed imagined qualities super infused by human analogy upon the animal

World anddeveloped the stories to their supreme heights through the animal character
 Ghosh 20

With a moral interpretation. Both The Panchatantra Tales and Aesop Fables have a great

Purpose of giving moral instruction at the end of the story.In a nutshell it can be said that

Panchatantra and Aesop’s fables contain wisdom of ages for people of all classes.

Through simple but fascinating stories, it teaches us important lessons of life that we tend

To overlook as we mature. The Fables may not be able to define Virtue and Vice, but they

Can give you some examples of what these things look like and suggest for which of the

Two should be chosen in particular situations and what the outcome of that choice is

Likely to be. In this ever dynamic and competitive world, the lessons from Panchatantra

Are still highly relevant enlightening us to the path of success and peace. Through the

Wisdom of its fables the `Panchatantra’ offers a vision of ourselves, and in the process, it

Makes us aware of the fact that solutions lie within ourselves.The fact cannot be denied

That Vishnu Sharma in the east and Aesop in the west are instrumental in animal stories

Rapidly getting popularized in the television cartoons in the present generation. The stories comprise of an
introduction to the animals and the rising action emerges from

The introduction of the motives and the comparability of each character in the active

Practice of worldly wisdom; the conclusion is invariably loaded in favour of the wiser,

The stronger, and the more diplomatic. This is followed by the moral lesson about virtue

And vice. The plot construction and styles of the fables in both The Panchatantra Tales and

Aesop’s Fable is very simple and direct indeed.

Citations

Aesop’s Fables, by Aesop. Complete, Original Translation from Greek, translated

By George Fyler Townsend. First published 1887, republished in 2007 by

Forgotten Books.

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